Sounders’ Jordan Morris named MLS Rookie of the Year

SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 06: Jordan Morris #13 of the Seattle Sounders FC dribbles against Sporting Kansas City at CenturyLink Field on March 6, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Sounders’ Jordan Morris named MLS Rookie of the Year

SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 06: Jordan Morris #13 of the Seattle Sounders FC dribbles against Sporting Kansas City at CenturyLink Field on March 6, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

SEATTLE – Jordan Morris’ debut season with the Seattle Sounders has officially gone as well as everybody expected.

The 22-year-old rookie beat out Philadelphia’s Keegan Rosenberry on Thursday to win the MLS Rookie of the Year award.

Morris, an MLS “homegrown player” from Mercer Island, scored a team-high 12 goals and assisted on four more, becoming the first field player in the club’s history to appear in every regular season game.

“Jordan is a big reason that our club has been successful this year. He has dealt with huge expectations and pressure from the media, and handled himself like a veteran pro,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said in a release from the team.

Morris’ 12 goals were the second-most every scored by a rookie, and his six game-winning goals were a rookie record.

“It’s a huge honor, and it was one of my goals going into the year,” Morris said.

DeAndre Yedlin placed third in the voting in 2013, the highest finish for a Sounder before Morris.